All the Republican rage made me think about the origins of America. So much emigration out of Europe to America came out of political and religious or ethnic friction and disagreement with the regimes in Europe (and later, the rest of the world). Many, many Americans are the descendants of Europeans who came to America to practise religion or politics the way they wanted to, and not the way that their nation, or the Catholic church, or a Feudal lord wanted them to.

That same independent-mindedness and the hunger for self-governance was the force that gave the Founding Fathers the chutzpah to finally sever ties with the British Empire in 1776 and strike out on its own as an independent nation.

For those who want to strike out into the unknown in the pursuit of self-governance, such options don’t exist anymore. There is no great sparsely inhabited continent spread out (except perhaps Antarctica which is already claimed-for) for those who want to strike out on their own. Those of a libertarian temperament and with a hunger for self-governance used to come to America. But in the modern, globalised world, where can they go?

Where is the next America? Where is the next land that people seeking self-governance can emigrate to?

One prospective answer has been seasteading — moving out onto floating cities in international waters. Perhaps that will satisfy the desires of a few in the coming years, but not everyone wants to live at sea. It is another frontier, but there are many challenges to overcome. For one thing, governments have navies, and may lay claim to successful floating cities near their waters, seeking new tax revenues. Pirates may pose a similar challenge.

In the much longer term, the answer will almost certainly be leaving the planet. The only uncolonised great new continents left are the ones up in space, on other planets. There is no more effective or complete way to depart. So it is rather poetic that in the past couple of days a new Earthlike planet in a star’s habitable zone has been discovered.

Many more observations will be needed to confirm any other similarities.

But the find joins an ever-larger catalogue of more than 800 known exoplanets, and it seems only a matter of time before astronomers spot an “Earth 2.0? — a rocky planet with an atmosphere circling a Sun-like star in the habitable zone.

The hunger for self-governance led to the birth of America. It seems highly likely, in the very long run, that the hunger for self-governance will be the force that leads not only to local space colonisation (near-earth asteroids, Mars, asteroid belt, the moons of the gas giants) but ultimately deep space colonisation. The private space industry today is already driven by libertarian-leaning individuals like Bert Rutan, Robert Zubrin and Peter Thiel.

Powerful central government drives nonconformists to find ways to escape it. If the only road to self-governance left is up into space, then that is the road that will be taken. In the end, fury over a lost election may be the thing that drives humanity to the stars.

What needs to happen in America is for it to divide. Miami, North East, Midwest, California, Alaska, Hawaii. White America will not accept being the slaves of Hispanics and blacks.

When the Social Security runs dry and the old farts are on their own there will be no reason to stay together as more white people realizes they do not want to work to provide benefits to the below 100 IQ dependent crowd.

That’s the way it has always been and that’s the way America will go. Diversity always leads to civil war and new nations. Europe will realize this; England already has had a dose of it with their race riots. The multicultural nations will fall apart when the money is worthless just like it fell apart in Bosnia and Serbia.

Give the Jews Miami and the Northeast, the Mexicans California, and make the middle USA free and libertarian.

That’s how it will go down. Just like in the USSR. Just like in Yugoslavia.

That's my whole point! Roman history has shown us that the system CAN be held together for decades (100-150 years was it?) while coin clipping (currency debasement) was taking place, even as it spiralled out of control it was held together...all they did was distract the citizens...ergo my post, Bread and Circuses!

I disagreed with economics9698 statement because Rome DID in fact hold together while the currency was worthless as they enforced price controls, land taxes, heck, they virtually made the Empire a prison (for land owners) for 75 years or so (sound familiar?)...that's why they were able to get away with debasing for a period far longer than our modern monetary system has even existed (since 1944). "When the money is worthless it all changes"...no it doesn't, it can be held off for a long time; we're kicking the can aren't we, and who's buying Gold? Certainly not Joe Six Pack, he's watching reality shows on TV and eating McDonalds bought on food stamps (Bread and Circuses)...and don't fool yourselves people, we're walking the same path right now.

Also, Rome's Prision Empire, where land owners who ran away were captured and dumped back on their lands (to grow shit and pay taxes again)...THAT's going to apply to modern property owners who have mortgages outstanding, regardles of equity, asset prices etc if you cannot sell to a greater fool and the economy tanks.

All Rome did to protect itself was to ensure that the Army was paid in pure Gold. In modern terms, that's QE being fed to the Banks, today!

Thanks for taking the time to enage in conversation Lore.

And to the bicycle helmet wearing bus commuting fucktards who diss'd my earlier post without bothering to question it, here's a nice clip to go with tonight's Thorazine injection: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0cVlTeIATBs

Markets are NOT the economy....besides, I'm not talking about a 100 years of debasement, I'm talking about at least 10 years that they'll be able to support, manipulate, restrict, enforce, shut-down...you name it, all for the sake of supporting the system (beyond what's already been done)....you'll see.

Give the Jews Miami and the Northeast, the Mexicans California, and make the middle USA free and libertarian.

I agree with your post, but Jews in Miami? You're three decades behind the times. Hispanics run the ship down here and have for years. The Jews moved up to Boca Raton years ago. The spanish have a lock on Miami-Dade county and it's just a matter of a few years before Broward and Palm Beach counties are overrun by the hispanic parasite class. I'd just concede the state from the lake south and build the wall.

Translation… let the 138 IQ Jews move to Miami and tell the Cubans how to run the show. Just as long as the Jews are out of the middle and northern Florida I don’t give a shit. Let them be compassionate with the 93 IQ crowd. They are Gods chosen people, they can run Miami.

<<<For those who want to strike out into the unknown in the pursuit of self-governance, such options don’t exist anymore.>>>>

Not true. We have been perpetual travelers for years now. Addresses of record in several countries. Incomes from several sources. Three passports and very minimal taxation.

It does require however, to speak a few languages, have marketable skills and above average income for a family. For younger individuals, starting with teaching English overseas and keep moving under the radar (taxwise) does the trick. Make fiends, Find work with international corporations and on and on. After a while it becomes easier and easier.

In our travels it has been our experience that in many countries, excluding only a few, visitors are treated differently than the locals as foreign exchange is important. Malaysia as an example will bend over backwards to keep you there, even if you have as low as $1500 USD coming in and several years later will offer you passport. Same with Republica Dominicana.

So, I do agree that perpetual traveling is a good option. BTW: Perpetual traveling only means that you leave a country when you sense that it is time to go or if you find a better opportunity. Perhaps you should leave before you sense anything and you can always go back there again.

The ideology of non-violence turns men into sheep. Same as ever. Ghandi would be appalled if he saw what has become of his country since independence. Our Founders would as well. The difference is, the latter would not hesitate to do something about it.

I'm sorry, but any chance of the human species (Virus) exploring space has been pissed up against the wall of greed and war long ago. We once had sufficient natural resources to make a good attempt at leaving earth, but alas, we chose the path we've always taken, and partied our arse off. Even L.E.O. is a Pipe-Dream.

We will not be leaving this rock, and that's a good thing for other star systems. It was a gift, and look how we've treated it. Better that we remain chained by physics to this planet and if we make it-we make it, if we don't, well, so long and thanks for all the fish!

PS. Just for the record; all this bull shit about missions to Mars and back to the Moon comes out of NASA's Marketing, Public Relations, and Prospective Budgeting Department, certainly not out of their Reality Department.

She came from Planet Claire
I knew she came from there
She drove a Plymouth Satellite
Faster than the speed of light
Planet Claire has pink air
All the trees are red
No one ever dies there
No one has a head

"It has often been said that, if the human species fails to make a go of it here on Earth, some other species will take over the running. In the sense of developing high intelligence this is not correct. We have, or soon will have, exhausted the necessary physical prerequisites so far as this planet is concerned. With coal gone, oil gone, high-grade metallic ores gone, no species however competent can make the long climb from primitive conditions to high-level technology. This is a one-shot affair. If we fail, this planetary system fails so far as intelligence is concerned. The same will be true of other planetary systems. On each of them there will be one chance, and one chance only."

I think it will take a while for someone in the MSM to openly say the obvious, that Ron Paul sank Romney. BO for 4 more years is bittersweet revenge for RP and his supporters on the GOP for the way they were treated the last two years.